EPILOGUE

“So, back where we started, huh?” asked Emma, looking around Mushi’s Bar, and she wasn’t wrong, they were sitting at the same booth where they had met.

“You’ll find we end up here quite a lot, practically a tradition after every job,” said Lily, leaning back comfortably.

The place was full, even more than usual, bounty hunters and prospective clients going about their business. No one seemed to notice them, despite how the last time they were here went. Lily even spotted a wanted poster Emma stuck on the wall, along with their and practically every bounty Hunter that frequented here. It was their idea of an inside joke.

“Are we sure no one here is going to be tempted by those?” asked Emma, glancing over at them.

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Astor, arriving with a tray full of drinks for the table. "These are on the house, apparently old Mushi heard what you did from Roin. Some may take them as a client, but seems a lot more of us take kindly to putting a black eye on the HPA."

"You realize that black eye is my own mother?"

"Yeah, well, not all of them are very family oriented, so don't think they have a problem with that. Now here's you strawberry milkshake," he said, handing down the cold drink to her.

"A saucer of milk for Leon, and please don't ever make me order this again."

"Do not judge me, Astor. I see you're still driking that swill you call beer."

"Hey, can't beat a good Tres Zetas, my feline friend. Oh, and the Zatzi brand for our newest member, can you even drink this with that mask?"

"Hell yeah, it has a little tube I can connect to it," said Emma, demonstrating as she hooked the tube to the mask and put the other end inside the beer can. Soon, the normally transparent breathing mask filled with water turned blue.

"What about me?" asked Acro.

"I am not ordering a pint of blood for you, Doc! Nobody want to see that!"

"All right, I'll just excract it from someone later today...when they're asleep," they added squinting hard at Astor.

"Oh come now, no need for that, we're celebrating!" said Lily, patting the good doctor on the shoulder. "We pulled off our first job, got paid, and even did some good doing it. That's as good as it gets, mates."

"It does feel good to have some shine again," said Astor, taking a sip of his beer.

"I will most heartily agree with you there, could not go another month on artificial rations anymore," said Leon.

"Well I never saw what the big fuzz about money was, you air breathers just...f-find new way to...make thing *hic*...complicated!" slurred out Emma, and they all saw she was smiling.

"Oh my gods, are you drunk already?" asked Astor.

"Guppy, is this your first beer?" asked Lily, concerned.

"Hmm," purred Leon. "I don't suppose they would have a way of drinking any in her world if they live underwater, so her body probably isn't accostumed to it at all." 

"Hey! I can drink just as well...as you guys, t-this is nothing! Bring me another!"

"I think one's good for tonight, dear," said Lily. "We'll get you some coffee, maybe it'll have just as a quick as an effect."

"I'll show you coffee you...bunch of...I show you..." Emma slowly placed her head on the table, snoring air bubles into the mask.

"Don't worry, a few more celebrations like this, and her metabolism should catch up so that she'll outdrink us all under the table," said Leon with a laugh.

"Yeah, I think she's gonna make us all proud, and good to have another girl on the ship."

"While shes out, I did want to mention something," said Astor, concerned. "Mushi also told me that Moray had been sniffing around for her since they issued her bouty."

"She's one of us now, even he can't break the code to that degree."

"I think he can do whatever he pleases at this point, and the HPA will be backing him for it."

"We'll cross that bridge if we must, but I'm not letting that snake get her."

"Agreed," said Leon.

"Yeah, she's off the menu!" said Acro, slamming his metal fist on table.

"That's impresive coming from you," remakred Leon, for once amused at Acro.

"Hey, I haven't eaten any of you, have I?"

Well genetlemen...and doctor," said Lily getting up to make a toast. "Here's to her, and this crew. May we stand together for a long time."

"And collect all the shine," added Astor, raising his bottle.

"And eat the faces of our enemies!" shouted Acro.

"You ruined it," said Leon.

"Maybe for you, heh."

Lily looked at them and knew she had found her new family, even she would never lose her old one. To be among those who sought the same thing, and valued you as something more than just a friend, who would die for you, and you for them...what more could she ask for.

"Cheers my friends." 

FIN OF FIRST GIG! OUR HEROES WILL RETURN IN ANOTHER NOVELLA ONE DAY!